The Onoto is a 'plunger filler', a system jointly invented, in 1905, by Evelyn De La Rue and an inventor by the name of George Sweetster, who was better known as a roller skating champion and female impersonator. Well over a hundred years later a well serviced Onoto plunger filler still ranks among the best fountain pen filling systems.
This Sterling Silver overlay pen is a high end version made in 1913. The barrel carries a hallmark for that year, along with the Thomas De La Rue makers mark, the london assay mark, and the lion signifying Sterling quality Silver. Both pieces of the cap are also hallmarked.
The 14 Ct. Gold De La Rue nib is matched with an ebonite 'over and under' feed, these were discontinued shortly after this pen was made.
At the time this pen was made, manufacturers went to a great deal of trouble to keep the weight of the pen down while maintaining robustness. Pens were often used for extended periods of time and the lighter the pen, the more comfortable and less tiring it was over these long periods of use. This pen weighs in at around 16g.
The pen has been fully serviced and tested. It has been fitted with new seals, front and back, and is in excellent working order, it fills with one stroke of the plunger and holds a good volume of ink, much more than a modern cartridge filler. The 14 Ct. Gold nib is an exceptional writer. It has full flex giving good line variation, someone with a decent hand could produce extremely impressive results with this pen.
The Onoto is a very well made and engineered pen that is sought after not only for its scarcity but also because of its extremely high quality. The Sterling Silver version is highly collectable, particularly at such a great age and in such remarkable condition.